“Go” and “Shogi” in old age

When young Yasunari visited the medical office where his father worked, there was always a shogi board placed on the sofa. The board seemed to be in the middle of a game, but it was empty. The players for that day were busy moving around the hospital, so whenever they stopped by the office, they would each take turns making a move. It was probably a way to pass the time.

In the evenings, his father would have meals with a high school alumnus and business executive, who was also a patient, at a Japanese restaurant, enjoying a meal and a massage, while hosting professional Go players for games. His father, being earnest and studious, continued to attend a Go study group every week. He wasn’t particularly interested in societal matters but was extremely dedicated when it came to games. Mahjong, shogi, Go, and golf—he was serious about winning and hated losing.

Yasunari couldn’t understand why his father was so passionate about winning at games. He, himself, was a sensitive child who preferred to stay away from games where he would have to face victory or defeat.

At Koyama Group, the company supports Go groups by providing rooms in their facilities and offices. His father would always tell Yasunari, “I’ll teach you Go,” but Yasunari would always try to avoid it, knowing that he could never study as hard as his father did. He knew that he couldn’t commit to studying with such intensity.

Currently, at Koyama Group’s special care homes, there is a study being conducted showing that teaching the elderly to play Go can slow the progression of dementia. Although it seems like common knowledge, the research has been highly evaluated, and it is still ongoing. The elderly who play Go are also happy with the results. Soon, there will be online Go competitions between different facilities. Even at the age of 75, participants will be competing in the junior division.

Blood sugar: 98. I skipped dinner last night as I was asleep.
Koyama Group CEO, Thunderbird CEO, Vice President of Health Station, Yasunari Koyama

KOYAMA GINZA DIARY

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